15 People Reveal Their Shot Girl Summer Fantasies, And They’re Not Holding Back

The horniest, most adventurous summer of all time is officially underway. Although it’s important to remember not to ditch those masks just yet — COVID-19 is still a very real threat — infectious disease experts say it’s safe for vaccinated individuals to congregate together, go to outdoor events, and even fly or take a long-distance train. And people are ready to celebrate Shot Girl Summer accordingly.

For many, summer 2021 is all about hooking up. Just take a look at the headlines: The New York Post announced that New York’s singles are “ready for ‘slutty summer,’” and other outlets and folks on social media have dubbed the season “Hot Vax Summer” or joked that they’re “vaxxed and waxed.” One Manhattan bartender told Vox that this summer is already “a little wild,” and that he’s seen tons of people going on dates.

But after the past year-and-a-half, everyone has different comfort levels, attitudes, and priorities, and summer 2021 — Shot Girl Summer, Horny Vax Summer, whatever you’d like to call it — is going to look a bit different for everyone. Some people might want to explore new things sexually, and many are turning to dating apps to put an end to their quarantine droughts. Grindr’s marketing director, Alex Black, told CNBC that activity started increasing on the app as the country’s vaccination rate began rising. And according to a Tinder representative, results from a recent survey show that over half of the app's users are looking to "keep their options open" this summer, with many adding that now is the perfect time to be single.

But others might also want to settle down or take their existing relationships to the next level. “After spending a year alone, the majority of Hinge users say they’re looking for a relationship and not something casual,” Logan Ury, Hinge’s director of relationship science, told The Washington Post.

Really, Shot Girl Summer can mean whatever you want it to mean: prioritizing yourself, finding love, or getting laid. Here, 15 women and femmes share their dreams, goals, and specific fantasies for this summer.

• “Bridgerton-themed roleplay.” — Jen, 26
• “My fantasy for this summer would be to learn how to love and let myself be loved again. I have a new girlfriend who is the first serious partner I’ve had since a terrible breakup in college. I want to make her feel how she makes me feel, but I’m learning how to do things all over again, the right way.” — Athea, 22
• “Outdoor, COVID-safe sex.” — Elaine, 27
• “In quarantine, I learned how to make myself have an orgasm. This summer, I'd love to have one with someone else.” — Zoe, 25
• “I have this fantasy where I'm out at a happy hour and a hot man just comes up and starts flirting with me. My friends end up leaving, he and I have a fabulous time, and we close the bar down. As we're leaving he leads me to the bathroom and asks, ‘Have you ever?’, and I'd be like, ‘Ever what?’ And bam, before I know it, we start having passionate sex in the middle of the bar bathroom. My leg is up on the railing as he's thrusting — the works. And then we go home, have an epic sleepover where we talk about everything under the sun, and fall asleep in each other's arms.” — June*, 27
• “Meet a casual partner who can introduce me to the kink scene, since I put it off for 15 years out of fear. I don’t want to waste any more time.” — JC, 34
• “I want to have a serious romantic relationship with another woman.” — Leah, 24
• “My shot girl summer fantasy is definitely tied to bars being open again. Like having sex with a really hot bartender while he’s closing the bar.” — Lucy*, 28
• “My hot girl summer fantasy is having sex on a boat! I would love to take my partner out on the water where no one is around and hook up right on the deck so we can feel the sun and the breeze. Now I just need to find a boat…” — Stella*, 27
• “Peg my boyfriend.” — Ellen, 25
• “To rewrite the narrative I have been telling myself about past trauma — to move into a space of receiving all the things which serve me and my growth, and to say, ‘No thanks,’ to that which does not serve me.” — Liz, 25
• “I’m moving to Boston this summer and have never been to New England in my life! On weeknights, I’m going to date the eligible Jewish men of Boston and on the weekends I’ll be driving around beautiful (I hope!) New England.” — Haley, 27
• “Staycation hotel sex — there’s an electric feel to the idea of being somewhere else, and not to mention hotel robes! The luxury!” — Marie*, 27
• “I want to go on tons of dates and build myself a steady roster of hot girl summer hookup buddies that’ll last into fall/winter cuffing season.” — Vanessa*, 27
• “A cute boy cooking me dinner. Nothing hotter than having the option to go out but choosing to stay in anyways and being catered to. After dinner, no dessert — just hot vaccinated sex for hours on end. Until he has to cook me the next meal.” — Vic, 28

People have had a lot of time over the past year to think about their dreams, goals, and plans, both long-term and short-term. There’s no wrong way to celebrate life post-vaccination, but the motto of summer 2021 is just going after what you want — both in and out of the bedroom. Or, you know, the bar bathroom. Or boat.

*Name has been changed.